Double octave mechanism for accordions



Nov. 25, 1958 M. D. EKsTRoM DOUBLE ocTAVE MECHANISM FOR AccoRDloNs 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3, 1956 Nw NN Lmu ATI'D RN EYE M. D. EKSTROM DOUBLE OCTAVE MECHANISM FOR ACCORDIONS Noy. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mw qu hu PN\ Filed May 3, 1956 a' Aa Nov. 25, 1958 M. D. l-:KsTRoM 2,861,495

DOUBLE OCTAVE MECHANISM FORl ACCORDIONS Filed May 3, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

ATTD R N EYS United lStates Patent DOUBLE OCTAVE MECHANISM FOR ACCORDIONS Marvin D. Ekstrom, Peterson, Iowa Application May 3, 1956, Serial No. 582,461

6 Claims. (Cl. 84-376) This invention relates to musical instruments and particularly an accordion, and in praticular a plurality of elements adapted to be mounted on under surfaces of keys of an accordion keyboard whereby the same keys of different octaves are coupled together so that as one key is depressed the corresponding key of the next octave is also depressed whereby the sound produced corresponds to that of two accordions playing simultaneously.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for improving the sound of accordions in order to give an accordion a more important place in bands, orchestras, and the like.

With the conventional accordion ,each key depressed produces a sound, however, the sound is limited to that produced by a single key. Consequently, accordions are very seldom used in bands, orchestras, and the like, the sound being produced by an accordion being substantially drowned out by other instruments. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates means for connecting the keys of two octaves of an accordion whereby as one key is depressed the corresponding key of the next octave is also depressed making it possible to produce sound corresponding to that of a pair of accordions, with one playing in one octave and the other in the next octave.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for connecting keys of one octave of an accordion to corresponding keys of a following octave in such a manner that as one key is depressed the corresponding key of the other octave is also depressed.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for coupling corresponding keys of different octaves of an accordion keyboard in which the device is adapted to be installed on accordions now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a de- Vice` for operatively connecting corresponding keys of different octaves of an accordion keyboard in which means is provided for readily shifting the coupling elements whereby only the white keys will play, or whereby the black keys will play and wherein both the black and white keys will play.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device for coupling corresponding keys of different octaves of an accordion in combination with selecting means in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies telescoping rods mounted in inclined positions on under surfaces of keys of an accordion.

wall and intermediate partition in the accordion shown in section.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown 1n Fig. 1 Illusrif lCe

trating the relative positions of the coupling elements with the operating instrumentalities therefor omitted.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 showing only the operating instrumentalities of the coupling rods with the coupling rods and keys omitted.

Figure 4 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and showing, only,

.the intermediate portion of the keyboard of the'accordion.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the keyboard taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4 showing the coupling rods and operating elements, part of the rear portion of the accordion being broken away.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 through the portion of the accordion 'below the keys showing one of the telescoping rods with one of the ends thereof connected to one of the keys of the keyboard and with an offset section on the opposite end extended through a U-shaped loop on a key of the next octave of the. keyboard.

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3 showing the mounting of one of the bars for actuating the rods and showing, in particular, the latch for retaining the operating parts in adjusted positions.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improvedV double octave attachment of thisinvention includes a plurality of coupling elements comprising telescoping rods including tubes 10 with anchoring rods 11 secured in one of the ends thereof with pins 12 and sliding rods 13 having offset ends 14 slidably mounted in the opposite ends of the tubes with pins 15 extended through slots 16 in the tubes limiting outward movements of the rods and the rods being urged outwardly by springs 17 also positioned in the tubes; and the coupling elements are actuated by gear segments 18, 19, and 2t), teeth of the segment 18 meshing with teeth 21 of a bar 22, the teeth of the seg-V ment 19 meshing with teeth 23 of a bar 24 and the teeth of the segment 20 also meshing with teeth 25 of a bar 24. The bar 24 is slidably mounted in tubular sockets 26 and 27 and a similar bar 28 parallel to the bar 24 is slidably mounted in similar tubular sockets 29 and 30.

The bars 24 and 28 are connected with inclined bars 31, 32 and 33 which are secured to the bars 24 and 28 such as by welding, as indicated at the points 34 whereby the bars 24 and 28 are adapted to slide laterally to engage and disengage the white keys of the keyboard. The bars 31, 32 and 33 are provided with openings 35 into which pins 36 depending from the rods 13 extend and as the bars 24 and 28 are actuated transversely of the keyboard the rods 13 are actuated whereby points 37 thereof are engaged with or disengaged from loops 38 attached to under surfaces of keys 39 by plates 40, the plates 40 being secured to the white keys with screws 41.

The bar 24 is provided with an arm 42 that is positioned to snap under a spring nger 43 mounted on the under surface of the keyboard panel 84 with screws 45 whereby upon movement of the bar 24 to the left, from the position shown in Fig. 3, the arm 42 snaps under the finger 43.

The bar 22, which is provided with angularly disposed end sections 46 and 47 that are slidably mounted in sockets 48 and 49, respectively, is also provided with an arm 50 that is positioned to snap under a spring finger 51 that is secured to the under surface of the panel 84 with screws 52. The bar 22 is provided with openings 53, similar to the openings 35 and into which pins, such as the pins 36 of the inclined telescoping rods for actuating the black keys extend.

The telescoping coupling rods, which extend from a key of one octave to a corresponding key of the next octave are positioned in parallel relation and at right angles to the keys of the white keyboard, as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 1 and in inclined or diagonally disposed positions for the black key sections of the keyboard, also as shown in Fig. 1 and the mounting rods 11 are secured to under surfaces of the black keys as shown in the upper portion of the keyboard illustrated in Fig. l, with plates S4 which are secured to the keys with screws 55, the ends S6 ot the rods 11 being secured tothe plates, such as by Welding; and rods 57 similar to the rods 11 are secured to under surfaces of the white keys of the keyboard with plates 58 which are secured to the keys with screws 59.

The coupling elements are actuated by buttons 60, 61, and 62 to which bars 63, 64, and 65 are connected with pins 66, 67, and 68 and, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the bar 63 extended from the button 60 is provided with a vertically disposed section 69 that is positioned to engage an arm 70 of the segment 20 and an upwardly extended end 71 on the end of a lower section 72, the section 71 being positioned to engage an arm 73 of the segment 18, and upon forcing the button 60 inwardly the segments 18 and 20 are rotated in a clockwise direction moving the bars 22 and 24 to the right, from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 wherein the tips 37 on the ends of the sections 13 of the rods pass into the loops 38 as illustrated in Fig. 6. By this movement both the white and black keys are coupled with corresponding keys of the next octave wherein in pressing one key of the keyboard of an accordion sounds representing a pair of accordions will be obtained.

The button 61 is provided with a bar 74, similar to the bar 72, and the bar 74 is also provided with an offset section 75, similar to the section 69, and an upwardly extended end 76, similar to the end 71, whereby with the section 75 in engagement with a finger 77 extended from the segment and the end 76 in engagement with a finger 78 of the segment 18 the segments are rotated in a counter clockwise direction as the button 61 is pressed inwardly, moving the bars 22, 24, and 28 to the left from the positions shown in Fig. 1.

The segment 18 is shown in Fig. 1 with teeth of the short radius portion thereof in engagement with teeth of the bar 22, and upon pressing the button 61 inwardly the arm 78 of the segment 18 is moved upwardly sliding the bar 22 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 4. With the radius of the gear teeth of the segment 18 gradually increasing upon rotation of the segment in a counter clockwise direction the teeth of the bar 22 remain in meshing relation with the teeth of the segment as the bar slides upwardly in the sockets 48 and 49. In this upward movement the extended ends 37 of the rods 13 :119e withdrawn from the loops 38 compressing the springs Should it be desired to disengage the white keys only, from the coupling elements the button 62 is pressed inwardly whereby an inner end 79 engages a finger 8@ of the segment 19, rotating the segment 19 in a counter clockwise direction, from the position shown in Fig. 4'and moving the bars 24 and 28 to the left, disengaging the points 37 from the loops 38 of the white keys.

With the parts assembled as illustrated and described the tips 37 of the coupling elements are extended through the loops 38 of both the white and black keys as the button 60 is pressed inwardly and to disengage the white keys only the button 62 is pressed inwardly or, when it is desired to disengage both the white and black keys the button 61 is pressed inwardly. By this means keys of one octave of the keyboard of an accordion may be coupled to corresponding keys of the next octave whereby as one key is depressed a key of the next octave is also depressed producing sound such as that of playing two accordions simultaneously. The coupling elements are actuated by the segments through the bars 22, 24, and 28 and the bars are retained in positions with the tips of the telescoping rods disengaged from the loops 38 by the spring latches 43 and 51 when it is desired to retain the parts in inoperative positions.

The parts are mounted on under surfaces of keys of an accordion keyboard and with the tips of the coupling elements disengaged from the loops the accordion is adapted to be played in the conventional manner, however, with the coupling elements actuated by the center button 60, sound, such as that produced by a plurality of accordions, is obtained.

The buttons 60, 61, and 62 are positioned in openings 8l), 81, and 82 of a front wall 83 of an accordion having a back 84 and an intermediate partition 85 and with the parts positioned between end walls 86 and 87.

The parallel or transversely positioned telescoping rods are mounted on under surfaces of the white keys 88 with the inclined bars, or telescoping rods, positioned on the under surfaces of the black keys 89. The relative positions of the parts and also the designs of the individual units are adapted to beV modified to correspond with different types of accordions, and with the parts in the free or disengaged positions the keys are adapted to be played in the conventional manner. To engage the coupling elements with the keys it is only necessary to press the button 60 inwardly whereby the ends 37 of the telescoping or coupling elements extend through the loops 38 thereby coupling the elements of one octave with those of an adjoining octave. It will be noted that the ends 37 are spaced midway of the loops 38 providing travel in both directions without impairing the operation of the device.

The ends 37 of the rods 13 are retained in the coupling elements 38 by the springs 17 until the ends are withdrawn by the upward movement of the bar 22.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling attachment for an accordion comprising an accordion keyboard, a telescoping rod positioned with one end anchored to a key of the accordion keyboard and with the extended end thereof positioned below a key of an adjoining octave of the keyboard, and means for engaging the extended end of the rod with a key of the adjoining octave.

2. An accordion having a keyboard and said keyboard including a plurality of keys, telescoping rods anchored to under surfaces of keys of the keyboard of the accordion, and means for temporarily connecting opposite ends of the rods to keys in spaced relation to keys upon which the rods are mounted, said connecting means being diagonally positioned in relation to the keys of the keyboard.

3. In an accordion keyboard, the combination which comprises a plurality of white and black keys, elongated telescoping rods adapted to be anchored to the- White and black keys of the keyboard, and means for temporarily connecting extended ends of the rods to corresponding keys of the next octave of the keyboard, said connecting means extended across the white keys being perpendicular to the keys and parallel to the front of the keyboard and the connecting means positioned on the black keys being diagonally disposed in relation to the keys.

4. A coupling attachment for the keyboard of an accordion comprising a plurality of white and black keys having upper and under surfaces a telescoping rod positioned with one of the ends thereof Vanchored to the under surface of one of the keys of the accordion and with the opposite end positioned adjacent a corresponding key of adjoining octave of the keyboard, the rods connecting the white keys of the octave being parallel to the front of the keyboard and perpendicularrto the keys and the rods connecting the black keys being diagonally positioned in relation to the keys, loops depending from under surfaces of said corresponding keys, and means for engaging and disengaging the telescoping elementsy with the loops on under surfaces of the keys.

5. In an accordion keyboard attachment, the combination which comprises a keyboard having white and black keys, telescoping rods having resilient elements therein for urging extended ends of the rods to extended positions, the opposite ends of the rods being anchored to keys of the keyboard, said telescoping rods being positioned below the keyboard, depending loops carried by some of the keys and positioned to receive the ends of the telescoping rods, a rack and gear assembly positioned below the keyboard for actuating the extended ends of the rods to engage and disengage the loops, and means for actuating the rack and gear assembly for operating the rods.

6. In a coupling attachment for an accordion keyboard, the combination which comprises a keyboard having white and black keys, depending loops carried by some of the keys, parallel telescoping rods secured to under surfaces of the white keys of the keyboard, means for anchoring one of the ends of the rods to under surfaces of keys of the keyboard whereby the opposite ends of the rods are positioned to engage with said depending loops of the keys, bars extended across the telescoping rods, means operatively connecting the bars to the telescoping rods for contracting and expanding the rods, button actuated gear segments positioned to extend and retract the rods, the rods secured to under surfaces of the black keys being inclined in relation to a -front wall of an accordion keyboard and the rods secured to under surfaces of the white keys being parallel to the front wall of the accordion and positioned transversely of the keyboard, and spring clips for retaining bars associated with the rods in inoperative positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 295,512 Wright Mar. 18, 1884 1,973,638 Lentz Sept. 11, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 640,096 France Mar. 19, 1928 

